103rd `Battle of the Maroons':

Dharmaraja and Kingswood eager to get a win

By S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.
 

Dharmaraja College: (Seated from left): Bhuvaneka Ekanayake, K. M. Senaviratne (Master-in-Charge), Ramesh Yapa Bandara (Vice Captain), S. M. Keerthiratne (Principal), Pratap de Silva (Captain), Sarath Matharaarachchi (Prefect of Games), Senaka Dissanayake (Coach). Middle row: Theekshana Wedagedera, Rahula Ekanayake, Kavinda Wijekoon, Tharaka Silva, Sanjaya Kalubowila, Abeyratne Bandara, Hemal Munaweera, Ruchirange Dandeniya, Mayura Ratnayake. Back Row: Ruchira Rupasinghe, Sandun Weerakoddy, Lochana Ekanayake, Kaveendra Jayasinghe, R. M. S. Sandaruwan, Thilina Ranasinghe, Imran Marikkar, Nuwan karunaratne. Picture by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.

Kingswood College: (Seated from left): Chathura Kumarasiri, Madhawa Maduranga, Chalitha Dharmaprema (Captain), Ashan Senaviratne (Vice Captain), Udara Hettige, Lahiru Gannoruwa. (Standing from left): Dashitha Kandanarachchi, Dinesh Rabel, Yasindu Athukorale, Subodha Premaratne, Rashminda Sandaruwan, Hasitha Dharmaprema, Chamara Weeratunga and Tilina Karunaratne. Picture by S. M. Jiffrey Abdeen - Kandy Sports Corr.

A close contest is expected when Dharmaraja College take on Kingswood College in the hill capital's 103rd `Battle of the Marrons' which will be played at the Asgiriya Stadium in Kandy on March 13th and 14th, with play commencing at 9.30 a.m. on both days. This match will be also played for the T. B. Tennakoon Challenge Shield which has been in the custody of the Rajans from 1980 and to wrest this shield, the Kingswoodians should score an outright win.

History tells us that 102 battles had been fought at Venues ranging from Randles Hill, Lake View, Bogambara grounds, Police grounds and now the Asgiriya Stadium. Rajans are in the lead with 31 wins and the Kingswoodians have won 19 and 52 matches have ended in draws. The last time a decision was produced in this match was way back in 1980 when the Rajans won under Janaka Mendis at Police grounds. The last time the Kingswoodians won was under C. Maurice Fernando at Randles Hill in 1958. Thus the Kingswoodians have a 51-year-old `jinx' to roast while both teams have to break this stalemate of 28 draws-in-row.

This year's big match will see for the first time a father and son having captained Kingswood in a big match. Mangala Dharmaprema captained in 1985 and his son Chalitha is this year's captain. The only other occasion of this instance in the series was for Dharmaraja College when father T. B. Talwatte captained in 1941 and son Priyantha captained in 1985. The Dharmapremas did one better with Dayal Dharmaprema younger brother of Mangala captaining in 1994.

Ajith Narampanawa scored centuries in 1976 and 1977 for the Rajans. The present coach of Kingswood College Priyantha Wickremasuriya also scored centuries in successive years. The only occasion in which two brothers had scored centuries was by the Rajans' Senaka Dissanayake in 1983 and Prasana Dissanayake in 1985.

Mixed fortunes

The Rajans led by allrounder Pratap de Silva have gone through a season of mixed fortunes. They have played 17 matches won 6 lost 6. Their wins have been over St. Thomas - Matale, Sri Rahula, Matara, Sri Sumangala - Panadura, Dharmapala, Vidyartha and Zahira. Their losses have been to Trinity, S. Thomas - Mt. Lavinia, Ananda, Royal, Maliyadeva and D. S. Senanayake.

The captain of Dharmaraja, Pratap de Silva is a good right-arm off- spinner and he has taken 41 wickets this season. He has also scored 414 runs. Another all-rounder Ramesh Yapa Bandara is the vice-captain of the side. He is an aggressive bat having scored 520 runs with a top score of 105. His left arm spinners has brought him 39 wickets.

Kingswood - Eagar for win

Kingswood College will be led by fourth-year coloursman and all-rounder Chalitha Dharmaprema who is a good off-spinner and a stubborn bat. He has taken 74 wickets and also scored 371 runs this season. The Kingswoodians have gone through the season without a win. They have played 15 matches won nothing lost 3 and drawn 12. Their losses have been to St. Anthony's, Thurstan and Trinity.

Big match teams

Dharmaraja College: (from): Pratap de Silva (Captain) Ramesh Yapa Bandara (Vice-captain), Bhuwaneka Ekanayake, Tharaka Silva, Rahula Ekanayake, Theekshana Wedagedera, Tharindu Dandeniya, Hemal Munaweera, Sandun Weerakoddy, Sanjay Kalubowila, Nuwan Karunaratne, Mayura Ratnayake, Abeyratne Bandara, Kavinda Wijekoon, Ruchira Rupasinghe. (Coach Senaka Dissanayake. MIC K. M. Senaviratne, POG Sarath Mathararachchi).

Kingswood College: (from): Chalitha Dharmaprema (Captain), Ashan Senaviratne (Vice captain), Chathura Kumarasiri, Madawa Madhuranga, Udara Hettige, Lahiru Gannoruwa, Hasitha Dharmaprema, Tilina Karunaratne, Yasindu Athukorale, U. Rabel, Chameera Weeraratne, Rashmindu Sandaruwan, Tilina Dolawatte, Dashmitha Kandanarachchi, Subodha Premaratne. (Coach Major Priyantha Wickremasuriya. MIC Sunil Herath).